Earth-boring machine



S. J. SMITH.

EARTH some MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. l9, I920.

1,369,941 Patented Mar. 1, 1921 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

S. J. SMITH.

EARTH BORING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED APR. I9. 1920.

' Patented Mar. 1,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- ing adj ustably UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SHELBY 3'. SMITH, OF WASHINGTON, ILLINOIQ EARTH-BORING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 19,

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SHELBY J. SMITH, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of \Vashington, in the county of Tazewell and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Earth- Boring Machines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to machines which are primarily adapted for the formation of holes in the ground to receive the lower ends of fence posts or telegraph poles, though it is capable of advantageous use for a variety of other purposes such as setting out small trees in rows and other uses which will appear to those skilled in the art to which my invention pertains.

One object of my invention is to so construct and organize the machine that it may be easily mounted upon any suitable platform which is carried by a wagon, suc as the platform usually used as a hay rack, wgiereby the machine may be rendered porta e.

Another object of my invention is to so arrange the parts of the machine that extreme accuracy in the position of the hole to be bored may be secured without thenecessity of requiring that the vehicle which carries the machine be stopped at exactly the proper position.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the auger shaft may be angularly adjusted with relation to the platform of the transporting vehicle to the end that'if the ground upon which the vehicle is standing is other than level, the holes may be bored plumb or if desired at an angle.

Another object of my invention is to so arrange and construct the machine that holes may be bored with it very close to a building or fence or other structure while at the same time permitting the easy and eflicient operation of the machine.

Another object of my invention is the provision of means whereby the auger shaft. may be raised and lowered, these means bemounted so that they may be operated from the most convenient position with reference to the work.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a suitable driving mechanism Patented Mar. 1, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 374,800.

whereby the augershaft may be operated by power and in either direction.

. Other objects of my invention will appear and be described in the specification.

The novelty of my invention will be hereinafter more fully set forth and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 Sheet 1 is a plan' view of the device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 Sheet 1 is a side elevation of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 Sheet 1 is a plan view partly in section of the reversing gear and associated parts.

Fig. 1 Sheet 2 is an end view of the auger shaft carrying mechanism, the outer ends of the supporting frame being in section and the outer supporting member being removed.'-

Fig. 5 Sheet 2 is a detail view of the auger shaft and gear bracket.

Fig. 6 Sheet 2 is aside view of the idler carrying arm of the nism shown in Fig. 3.

The same numerals of reference are used to indicate identical parts in all the figures.

As illustrating one form of structure embodying my invention, 1 have shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a plan and elevation of a machine which comprises a base 1 hinged as at 2 to any suitable platform 3 which may be mounted upon an ordinary farm wagon or other suitable vehicle whereby the machine may be transported from place to place as desired. The base 1 is provided with a pair of jack-screws 4 whereby one of its edges may be raised so that the base may be approximately leveled when the surface of the ground adjacent to the point where a hole is to be bored is inclined, the construction being such that one edge of the base is hingedly connected to the platform, the other edge being free to be raised by the jack-screw, it being obvious that if it is desired to adjust the base by moving its free edge both above and below a plane parallel to the plane of the platform, the hinged edge will be raised by the insertion of a suitable strip between the hinges and the platform, and the jack-screws will be made sufficiently long to accomplish the required adjustment.

Any suitable engine 5 is mounted upon the base 1 and is connected by means of the belt 6 with the driving pulley 7 of the rereversing gear mechaversing gear 8, an idler 9 being provided and mounted upon a movable arm 10 so that the proper tension may be maintained upon the belt to drive the device and so that, when the idler is moved away from the belt, the mechanism may be stopped.

A universal joint 11 is carried by the end of the driven shaft of the reversing gearing and a telescoping drive 12 extends from the universal joint 11 to a driving pinion 13 which meshes with a gear 14, the latter carrying a miter gear 15 which meshes with a similar gear 16 on the auger shaft 17, these gears and their mountings and sup ports being arranged as follows.

A yoke 18 is pivotally mounted upon the base 1 its pivot being in vertical alinement with the center of action of the universal joint 11, the yoke 18 being provided with trunnions 19 which are in horizontal alinement with the :center of action of the universal joint and upon which the main frame 20 is mounted, this frame being preferably formed of a pair of channels connected by a cross-bar 21, the mounting of this frame constituting a species of universal joint having its range of movement coinciding with the range of movement of the universal joint 11.

An auxiliary frame 22 is carried by thej main frame 20 and is telescopicall arranged with relation thereto to the en that the distance between the auger shaft 17 and the universal joint 11 may be varied within the range of extensibility between the frames 20 and 22, in a full sized machine this being approximately three and one half feet, the telescoping drive shaft 12 acting to permit the movement of the frame 22 with relation to the frame 20 while maintaining the proper driving connection between the universal joint 11 and pinion .13.

The frame 22 carries a pair of cross-members 23 and 24 which support the gear frame 25, the drive shaft 12 passing through an extended boss of the cross-member 23 the boss serving as a trunnion for the gear frame 25 and passing through the hub 26 thereof, while a trunnion 27 is carried by the cross member 24 and engages the gear frame 25 at a point in axial alinement with the drive shaft 12.

The gears 14 and 15, which are secured together are mounted free to turn upon a trunnion 28 of the gear bracket 29 shown in F 1g. 5, this bracket being carried by the gear frame 25 through the medium of a pair of pins 30 which are arranged with their axes intersecting the extended axis of the driveshaft 12, and at right angles thereto,

' the pins 30 extending into bores 31 in the bore 32 of the gear bracket 29.

The auger shaft 17 passes through the gear bracket 29 the shaft 17 being splined as at 33 to receive a feather parts just described is such bracket 29.

The construction and mounting of the shaft 17 is mounted in a universal mounting so that its axis may be adjusted to any position required, whereupon it may be rotated in that position.

By referring to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the gear frame 25- carries a quadrant 35 which is engaged by a pin 36 carried by a bracket 37 which is carried by the frame 22, the pin '36 being provided with a hand wheel 38 whereby the quadrant 35 may be clamped to the bracket 37 thus maintaining the gear frame 25 in any adjusted position to the end that the axis of the auger shaft 17 may be set as indicated by the dot and dash l1nes 39 of Fig. 4. A quadrant 40 is carried by the gear bracket 29 and 0055perates with a bracket 41 carried by the gear frame 25 as shown in Fig. 2, and a hand wheel 42 with its clamping bolt is provided for the purpose of setting the relation between the gear bracket 29 and the ear frame 25 so that the axis of the anger s aft 17 may assume the position shown by the dot and dash line 43 of Fig. 2 or a position opposite to the position indicated by the line that the auger 43 and it follows that any combination of means of a clamp 45 provided with a hand wheel 46, the clamp 45 engaging both the frame 20 and the frame 22; and it will also appear from the description of the yoke 18 and its mountings and connections to the frame 20 that this frame and the mechanism It carries may be moved from the POSItiOIl shown to the dotted position 47 or to a cor- .respondin position on the other side of the axis of t e universal joint 11, a pair of clamps 48 being provided for holding the frame 20 and the parts it carries in any adjusted osition, the clamps 48 engaging one edge of the platform 3, and each belng provided with a clamp and hand wheel 49.

Each of the .clamps 48 is slotted as shown Fig. 2 and carries a vertically adjusted grooved block 50 whereby the frame 20 and its associated parts may be raised or loweredwith relation to the platform 3, to bring the auger shaft gearing closer to or farther ro t e g und as occasion may require.

. (Fig.

from the face of the ed upon and 7 0 which To raise and lower the auger shaft during its operation I provide this shaft with circumferential grooves 51 (Fig. 4) and mount upon the upper portion 52 of the bracket 29 (Fig. an adjustable collar 53 which carries a bearing 54 in which a shaft 55 is journaled, the shaft 55 carrying a pinion 56 which engages the grooves 51 of the shaft 17 the shaft 55 being provided with a crank 57 for its operation.

It is to be noted that the collar 53 is split and provided with a clamp bolt 58 (Fig. 1) so that the collar may be adjusted to any position around the shaft 17, carrying with it the shaft 55 and crank 57, the latter being shown in one of its adjusted positions by the dotted lines 59 (Fig. 1), the purpose of this adjustment ator to stand at any convenient point around the auger shaft and adjust the position of the crank 57 so thathe may operate it conveniently.

The lower end of the auger shaft 17 carries any suitable connecting sleeve 60 by means of which the auger 61 is attached to the shaft as shown in Fig. 2. i

The reversing gear 8 comprises a shaft 62 3) which carries the pulley 7 and upon which a driving gear 63 is mounted, the driving gear 63 meshing with a driving and sleeve gear 64 which has one of its toothed portions spaced a sufficient distance gear 63 to permit the driven gear 65 to occupy a neutral position between the gear 63 and the sleeve gear 64, the gear 65 being mounted either upon a square shaft 66 as shown or upon a splined shaft if preferred, ed with a shifter 67 carried by a shifter rod 68 which is mounted free to slide in the case 8. The rod 68 carries a pair .of collars 69 are adapted to be engaged by a quadrant 71, this quadrant being more clearly shown in Fig. 6 and comprising an opening 72 of sufficient size to permit the collars 69 and to pass through it and a slot 73 which is of suflicient width to pass over the rod 68 and prevent its longitudinal movement by engaging one or the other of the faces of one or the other of the collars 69 or 70 depending upon the position of the rod 68. I

The arm 10 carries a segmental gear 72 which is engaged by a segmental gear 7 3 carried by a crank 74 (Fig. 1) which is mountthe case 8, the construction and arrangement of these parts being such that as the free end of the crank 74 is moved in a line parallel to the axis of the shaft 12, the arm 10 withthe idler 9 and quadrant 71 is raised or lowered depending on which direction the free end of the arm is moved, to cause the idler to tighten or loosen the belt 6, thereby starting or stopping the rotation of the shaft 62.

being to permit the operhe gear 65 being provid- I might project into the.

, in engaged position until released by the latch.

The lever 76 is shown in proper-position when the gear 65 is in the position shown in Fig. 3 and, when thearin 16 is raised to release the belt 6, the opening 72 in the quadrant of the arm 16 is in alinement with the rod 68 and the collars 69 and 70. Under these conditions the lever 76 may be moved to shift the gear 65 into mesh with the pinion 6?) which corresponds to the forward driving position, or into mesh with the sleeve gear 64 which is the reverse drive position, after which the lever 77 may be operated to tighten the belt 6 as previously described. it being borne in mind that the arm 16 cannot be moved downward until the gear 65 is fully engaged for the reason that one or the other of the collars 69 and 76 will be partly within the opening 72 to prevent the downward movement of the arm 1th it being further noted that after the gear 65 is in proper position to permit the movement of the arm 10, and this arm has been moved. the gear 65 cannot be moved along the shaft 66 until the arm 10 has been raised. the relation between these parts being such that the rod 68 and collars 69 and 70 together with the quadrant 71 form an effective interlock' to prevent the shifting of the gear 65 while the power is being applied, and to prevent the application of the power until the gear 65 is in proper position this position being either in the neutral position as shown in Fig. 3 or fully engaged for either forward or reverse driving of the shaft 66.

Under certain conditions it is necessary to reverse the direction ofthe rotation of the auger such as for instance when drilling a hole close to a tree. a portion of a root hole and prevent the withdrawal of the auger or in soil where rocks are'present, a corner rock might engage the flights of the auger and require that it be reversed for extraction;

Under certain operating conditons it may be found necessary to drive the two wheels on the side of thewagon into the ditch at the side of aroad, thus necessitating the use of the-jack-screws 4 for approximately leveling the base This leveling process y i proximately the position shown by the dotted line 81 of Fig. 2 and the frame 20 may be raised to bring its center line approxlangle the axis of the shaft 62 ,to ap- 'mately to the position of the line 82 and the auger shaft adjusted to the position of the line 83 or to any other required position for the drilling of the hole.

It will be seen from the above description that the machine is capable of being mounted upon a wagon for transportation from place to place either along a roadway or across a field and that when approximately the proper position of the vehicle has been reached, it may be stopped and the auger shaft then adjusted so that the hole to be drilled may be drilled exactly in the spot required through the medium of the swing of the telescoping mounting of the frame, and further that the angle of the hole with relation to the surface of the ground may be adjusted, as required through the mounting and connections of the auger shaft gearing and the adjustments provided for that purpose.

It is advisable that internal combustion engines operate upon a substantially level base and as most work of this nature is performed by such engines, the base upon which the engine is mounted is made adjustable so that under adverse conditions of ground surface, the engine may be properly leveled.

The preferred position of the device with relation to the wagon is that the frame 20 will be mounted so that the auger shaft is to one side of the wagon and approximately midway between the forward and rear wheels thereof, though it will of course be, apparent that any other position of mounting the=device may be employed,

1 Having thus fully described my lnvention, I claim:

1. In an earth boring machine the combination of a main frame, an auxiliary frame slidably mountedwith relation thereto, an anger shaft carried by the auxiliary frame,

drlving gearing for the auger shaft, a universally adjustable mounting for the auger shaft, and means for lockingthe mounting in an adjusted position.

2. n an earth boring machine the combination of a main frame, an auxiliary frame slidably mounted in relation to the main frame, a gear frame carried by the auxiliary frame, an auger shaft carried by the gear frame, gearing carried by the gear frame for operating the auger shaft, and means for angularly adjusting the relation between the gear frame andthe auxiliary frame.

3. In an earth boring machine the combination of a frame, a gear frame carried thereby, means for angularly adjusting the relation between the gear frameqand the frame, a bracket carried by the gear frame, means for angularly adjusting the bracket with relation to the gear frame and at an angle to the angular adjustment of the gear frame with relation to the first mentioned mechanism and the auger frame, an anger shaft carried by the bracket, a driving mechanism for the machine, and gearing coiiperating mechanism and the auger shaft.

4. In an earth boring machine the combination of a platform, a frame mounted thereon and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, an auxiliary frame in sliding relation to the first mentioned frame, an auger shaft carried by the auxiliary frame, a driving mechanism carried by the platform, and driving connections between the driving shaft.

5. In an earth boring machine the combination of a platform, a mainframe carried thereby and angularly adjustable with relation thereto, a gear frame carried by the auxiliary frame, means for angularly ad-.

justing the gear frame with relation to the auxiliary frame, a bracket carried by the gear frame, means for angularly adjusting the bracket with relation to the gear frame,

an auger shaft carried by the bracket, drivand gearing ing mechanism for the machine, mechanism for the auger shaft.

6. In an earth boring machine the combination of a platform, a frame carried thereby and horizontally adjustable with relation thereto, an auxiliary frame carried by the first mentioned frame and longitudinally adjust able with relation thereto, an angularly adjustable auger shaft carried by the auxiliary frame, driving mechanism for the auger shaft, and a feed works for axially moving the auger shaft in its mounting.- I

7. In an earth boring machine the combibetween the driving nation of a platform, a base carried thereby,

means for angularly adjusting the base with relation to the platform, a main frame having a pivotal connection to the base, means for angularly adjusting the main frame with relation to the platform, an auxiliary frame slidably mounted with relation to the main frame and extending beyond the platform, means for adjusting the auxiliary frame with relation to the main frame, a gear frame carried by the auxiliary frame, means for angularly adjusting the gear frame with relation to the auxiliary frame, a gear bracket carried by the gear frame, means for angularly adjusting the gear bracket with relation to the gear frame, an auger shaft carried by the gear bracket, gearing carried by the gear bracket for operating the auger shaft, and driving connections extending to 'the gearing.

8. In an earth boring machinethe combination of an auger shaft, an adjustable mounting for the auger shaft, a driving mechanism for the machine, connections :be-

tween the driving mechanism and the auger shaft, a reversing gear between the driving mechanism for the machine and the driving versing mechanism to prevent the applicareversing gear mounted near the pivotal con- 10 tion of the power of the driving mechanism nection between the first mentioned frame to the auger shaft except when the reversing and the platform, an operating handle carmechanism is fully engaged. ried adjacent the free end of the first men- 9. In an earth boring machine the combitioned frame and connected to operate the nation of a platform, a frame pivotally reversing gear, and driving connections from 15 mounted thereon, a second frame slidably the reversing gear to the auger shaft. mounted with relation to the first frame, an auger shaft carried by the second frame, a SHELBY J. SMITH. 

